1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of catalytic reaction and reduction systems that react effluent in the form of solids or fluid. More particularly, the present disclosure relates in one embodiment to a system for reducing effluents from a mist so that emissions are reacted to provide safe breathing conditions after a decontamination process.
2. Description of Related Technology
A conventional catalytic reactor consists of a ceramic honeycomb matrix coated with platinum utilized to condition automobile emissions. Another conventional catalytic reactor includes an effervescing bed of a liquid catalyst to condition and reduce effluent process gasses. Another catalytic reactor utilizes catalyst coated pellets through which gases or liquids are conditioned and reacted to remove or change the unwanted components of process effluent. Within the utility power industry, the conventional selective catalytic reactors occupy a large volume and size based on the large surface exposure area needed to react effluents, e.g., gases, chemicals, and or other undesired chemical or waste products or additives. In addition, effluents may include chemicals or gases that may require regulation by local, state, or federal agencies. For an energy power plant to provide sufficient electrical power to several counties, a conventional selective catalytic reactor could have thousands of nested matrices coated with a catalyst to react unwanted components of effluents produced. These nested matrices may require a multitude of ancillary control or regulation equipment. As a result, these nested matrices and regulation equipment may occupy several buildings. Another feature of conventional reactors is a high incidence of fouled elements that reside at or reside near one or more exposed surfaces in a fixed matrix or in a rotatable catalyst plated armature. As a result, fouled elements may affect a large change in the capacity of the reactor. Furthermore, these conventional reactors may present significant backpressure, which may be required to be overcome.
In summary, the prior art provides limited flexibility on size of the reactor for a given level or volume of effluent as well as requiring significant equipment, building space, and requiring extensive cleaning of fouled elements. Furthermore, the prior art has limited capability for reducing, preventing, or cleaning partially or substantially fouled elements around or about on the one or more catalytic reactor surface areas.
Thus, what are needed are apparatus and methods for a catalytic reactor process that provide advantages over conventional systems. These advantages would include, interalia, preventing or reducing fouling, halting, partial or full non-functionality of one or more reactors or effluent catalytic reaction units, having increased capacity, reduced equipment or size requirement. In addition, other advantages would include improved air or emissions flow in accordance with specifications or requirements, and ability to vary or adapt in accordance with one or more variables including time, velocity, gas input flow, gas output flow, upon detection or in accordance with a partial or substantial increase in effluents.